Archdiocese of Baltimore Soccer Program president Steven Bartomioli doesn’t want any prospective youth soccer player to be denied the opportunity to play “The Beautiful Game” this fall.
Judging by the roughly 2,000 youngsters who have joined the league, there is plenty of room for players who want to pass, dribble and shoot in a competitive but faith-centered environment. This season, 156 teams will compete across the under-6 through under-14 age groups.
Bartomioli’s 11-year-old daughter, Sophie, and 9-year-old son, Adam, are budding stars for St. Casimir squads, nicknamed the Anchors. St. Casimir’s home pitch is a few miles east of its O’Donnell Street campus in Dundalk at Our Lady of Hope.
Bartomioli, who has been St. Casimir’s soccer coordinator for six years, said the ABSP is modeled on a recreational league, with “a travel component, but with a Christian foundation.” That foundation is reflected not only in the way the league approaches competition, but also in the names of its divisions.
This season, the ABSP has renamed its soccer divisions in honor of parish soccer programs that are no longer active but played important roles in the early history and growth of the program. The boys’ divisions are named for St. Thomas More (U8), St. Anthony (U10), St. Pius X (U12) and St. Dominic (U14), while the girls’ divisions honor St. Elizabeth (U8), Shrine of Little Flower (U10), St. Clare (U12) and Our Lady of Pompeii (U14).
All those associated church campuses merged with other faith communities to form new parishes as part of the Seek the City to Come pastoral planning initiative.
The names recognize the parishes, coaches, parents and volunteers whose efforts helped establish and expand Catholic youth soccer throughout the archdiocese.
The league today brings together more advanced players and novices, while welcoming newcomers from outside individual parishes. Children can still participate even if they can’t afford the $75 fee.
“We don’t turn away anyone,” Bartomioli said, describing a youngster acquainted with a St. Casimir teacher who was bullied in public school before finding a haven with the Anchors.
Click play below to listen to an Oct. 18 Catholic Review Radio interview with the leaders of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s soccer program. Story continues beneath.
That commitment to inclusion is shared by Tony Blackburn, coordinator of youth sports and ministry partnerships for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and a parishioner of St. Ignatius in Hickory. While elite athletes are welcome in the ABSP, they are only one part of the organization’s effort to create an inclusive league, Blackburn said. Athletes of all abilities are encouraged to participate.
Jaxson Gary has played in the ABSP at St. Ursula since he was in pre-kindergarten, eight years ago. “I have learned to get to know the players,” Jaxson said, “and I have learned to help out new teammates when they might not be sure where to go in their position or what they should be doing.”
Sixth-grader Theodore Hatami plays goalie for St. Ursula. He said his teammates “are really nice” when he’s feeling down. That emphasis on supporting teammates comes from the top down, with league coaches trained to guide their players according to the Play Like a Champion model.
“Although our teams and players want to win, we want to de-emphasize a win-at-all-costs attitude,” Blackburn said.
Coin of the realm
The legacy of St. Sebastian is having a welcome influence on the Archdiocese of Baltimore Soccer Program this season.
The patron saint of athletes, St. Sebastian was renowned for “his physical endurance and his energetic way of spreading and defending the faith,” according to the saintsebastianwoodside.org website.
Those qualities caught the attention Bartomioli and the organization’s board of directors, who developed the St. Sebastian Recognition Coin. The honor is bestowed on a player who, even in the heat of competition, demonstrates respect for players on both sides, coaches and officials.
The recognition will go to a player who best embodies the spirit of St. Sebastian through sportsmanship, perseverance, faith, leadership and respect for others, Bartomioli said.
The front of the coin features the Archdiocese of Baltimore Soccer Program logo, while the back includes the theme, “Above & Beyond on the Pitch,” along with “Heart, Grit, Spirit,” representing the qualities the program hopes to encourage in every player, Blackburn said.
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